Sliding door mechanism

Abstract

A sliding door mechanism for closing an aperture in a wall comprises an elongate support, a hanger pivotally connected to the support and arranged to be fixed to the door, and an arm on the support extending in the length direction thereof and carrying spaced apart first rollers. A track which, in use, is fixed to the wall, receives the first rollers. A guide rail mounted on the track. Second rollers are mounted on the support for engaging the guide rail. The arrangement is such that, in use, as the door reaches a closed position in which it closes the aperture from an open position in which the aperture is not obstructed by the door, the guide rail and second rollers causes the support to pivot about the contact points of the first rollers with the track and the hanger pivots relative to the support.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sliding door mechanism for closing an aperture in a wall comprising: an elongate support means; hanger means pivotally connected to the elongate support means and arranged to be fixed to the door whereby the door is suspended from the elongate support means; an arm on the elongate support means extending in the length direction thereof and carrying a plurality of spaced apart first rollers; a track which, in use, is fixed to the wall and receives the first rollers, said rollers providing a downward force component against said track; a guide rail mounted on the track, said guide rail having a discontinuous section proximate said aperture; and at least one second roller mounted on the elongate support means for engaging the guide rail, said at least one second roller providing an upward force component against said guide rail, the arrangement being such that, in use, the elongate support means is locked to said track by said upward and downward force component and, as the door reaches a closed position in which it closes the aperture from an open position in which the aperture is not obstructed by the door, the guide rail discontinuous section and the at least one second roller causes the elongate support means to pivot about the contact points of the first rollers with the track and the hanger means pivot relative to the elongate support means. 
     
     
       2. A sliding door mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the arm of the elongate support means is at an angle greater than 45° to the vertical when the door is in the open position and is at an angle of 60° or greater to the vertical when the door is in the closed position. 
     
     
       3. A sliding door mechanism as claimed in claim 2 in which the arm of the elongate support means is at an angle of 50° or greater to the vertical when the door is in the open position and is at an angle of 70° or greater to the vertical when the door is in the closed position. 
     
     
       4. A sliding door mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the axes of rotation of the first and second rollers are substantially parallel. 
     
     
       5. A sliding door mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the surface of each first roller engaging the track is convex. 
     
     
       6. A sliding door mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the surface of the or each first roller engaging the track is concave. 
     
     
       7. A sliding door mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the guide rail is cylindrical, each second roller having a concave surface in contact therewith. 
     
     
       8. A sliding door mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or 2 including a guiding device, in use, arranged adjacent a lower edge of the door, the guiding device having a spring-loaded member urging the door towards the aperture in the closed position and/or the open position. 
     
     
       9. A sliding door mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or 2 including braking means on the track for engaging one of the first rollers as it reaches the closed position to reduce the speed of movement of the door as it approaches the closed position. 
     
     
       10. A sliding door mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or 2 including a resilient coupling member a first part of which is fixed to the guide rail and a second part of which is attachable to a drive mechanism, resilient means being arranged to control axial sliding movement between the first and second parts.